Driving-gearing for motor-boats.



J. J. STOVER.

DRIVING GBARING FOR MOTOR BOATS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 1 19.11.

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Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0, WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. J. STOVER.

DRIVING GEARING FOB MOTOR BOATS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 1, 1911.

1,056,468r Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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Attnrnm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

JOHN J. STOVER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

DRIVING-GEARING FOR MOTOR-BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 1, 1911.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Serial No. 657,977.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. STovER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the cOunty of Wayne, State of thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to driving gearing for motor boats and consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide means for driving a plurality of propellers so that each successive propeller on the engine shaft shall revolve in the opposite direction to the one preceding it, thereby minimizing vibration and utilizing the rearward thrust of the water from the initial propeller upon the blades of the propellers in the rear thereof.

The invention contemplates means for reversing the direction of motion of the propeller blades at will, and for providing for a neutral position in which the engine may be run without imparting movement to the propellers in either direction.

The above object is attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation showing the rear portion of the hull of a boat, and illustrating the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in longitudinal section centrally of the drivingshaft and of the driving gears and propellers mounted thereon, said view showing only the extreme front and extreme rear sets of driving gears. Fig. 3 is a transverse section as on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section as on line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sliding sleeves on which the propellers are mounted, showing the gear wheels at the opposite ends thereof. Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the propeller blades. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the channeled collars which are fixed to the driving shaft,

and through the mediunrof which the gears are driven. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a cross bar and the actuating rods connected thereto, said rods being employed to shift the gears for the purpose of changing the direction of rotation of the propellers. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the fixed gear secured to the rear end or stern post of the boat, and through which the driving shaft passes.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1

designates the driving shaft which is con nected to an engine or motor, not shown, in any'suitable manner, and which passes through a stuffing box 2 in the stern post 3 of the boat. Bolted to said stuffing box, or otherwise fixedly secured to the stern of the boat, is a beveled gear 4 through which the shaft passes. The outer end of the fixed gear 4 is recessed as shown at 5 in Fig. 2,

to receive one end of a channeled collar 6 which is fixed to the shaft and revolves therewith. Mounted upon the shaft 1 is a sleeve 7 carrying at one end a beveled gear 8, and at the opposite end a like gear 9. The gear 8 is recessed to receive the opposite end of the collar 6 which is interposed between the gears 8 and 4. Embracing the gears 4 and 8 and the interposed collar 6, is a globular case 10'. Mounted in the wall of said case at four opposite points therein are the short radially disposed shafts 11. The inner end of each of said shafts extends into the circular channel 12 in the collar 6, and journaled upon each of said shafts is a beveled pinion 13 which meshes with the gears 4 and 8 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Secured to the outer end of the rotary case 10 is a ring 14 which engages the outer face of the gear 8 and holds said gear in mesh with the pinions 13. At the opposite end of the case 10 is provided an internal channel in which are set the blocks 15 with which the actuating rods 16 are connected, said blocks being adapted to slide in channels 17 (see Fig. 9) in the opposite sides of the fixed gear 4. At the outer ends of the rods 16 is connected a cross bar 18 to which is connected a rod 19 leading to a control lever, not shown. By moving the cross bar longitudinally of the shaft the actuating rods 16 will slide the case 10 to carry the pinions 13 therein into engagement with the gear 4, as shown in Fig. 2, or

to carry said pinions outof engagement with said gear as may be desired.

Mounted upon the sleeve 7 is a propeller consisting of the blades 20 attached to a two part rin 21 which is bolted to the flange 22 on said sleeve.

Formed in the periphery of the collar 6 and extending longitudinally thereof across the circular channel 12 are the channels 23. The inner ends of the shafts 11 are provided with antifriction rollers 2% which normally lie in the circular channel 12 but which are adapted to enter the longitudinal channels on each side of the circumferential channel accordingly as the case 10 is shifted longitudinally of the shaft.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 the collar 6 which rotates with the shaft 1, and in the inner ends of the longitudinal channels 23 of which the antifrict-ion rollers of the radially disposed shafts 11 lie, will cause said shafts to rotate therewith as the driving shaftrevolves, causing the pinions 13 to travel in a circle around the axis of the driving shaft and revolving the case 10. Because of the fact that said pinions are in mesh with the fixed gear t this rotary movement thereof about the axis of the driving shaft will impart to said pinions a rotation about the axis of theirshafts 11 and rotate the gear 8 of the sleeves 7 thereby revolving said sleeve to turn the propeller thereon. the blades of which are set at such an angle as to drive the boat ahead.

The foregoing explanation has been devoted to a description of the operation of the driving gears contained in the first case 10. The arrangement of the gearing in the last or rear case 25 is "cry similar except that the fixed beveled gear 26 is formed on the rear bearing member 27 in which the rear end of the shaft 1 is journaled. The rudder post 28 is also journaled in said bearing member which is stayed by the brace rods 29 extending downwardly from the overhanging portion 30 of the bottom of the boat and passing through said member 27. The intermediate cases 31 contain the same set of gearing shown in the cases 10 and 25 with the exception that the gearing in each of the intermediate cases comprises the beveled gear 8 at one end of the sleeve 7, and the beveled gear 9 at the opposite end, said gears meshing respectively with the driving pinions 13 in each of the intermediate cases. As all of the sleeves 7 must be caused to slide longitudinally of the shaft 1 in unison they are connected togetherso that this result may be obtained by means of the rings 14 at the ends of the gear cases which engage the faces of the gears at the ends of the sleeves 7, whereby. when the rods 16 are actuated, all of the gear cases are simultaneously moved longltudinally of the driving shaft. It has been explained that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 a rotation. of the driving shaft will turn the sleeve 7 which enters the case 10 so as to revolve the propeller on said sleeve in a direction to drive the boat ahead. It will further be understood that the gear wheels in the intermediate cases 31 are always in mesh so that the gear 9 on the end of the first sleeve '7 will drive the gearing in the first intermediate case 31 to rotate the propeller on the second sleeve 7 in a direction opposite to that of the first propeller, the arrangement being such that? each succeeding propeller is driven in a direction opposite to that of the one immediately .in advance of it, the pitch of the blades on the successive propellers being such as to drive the boat in the same direction notwithstanding the fact that the sin cessive propellers are turned in opposite directions. \Vhen it is desired to drive the boat astern the rods 16 are actuated so as to slide all of the cases and gearing sets therein rearwardly on the shaft 1 to carry the pinions in the last gear case 25 into engagement with the fixed gear 26 of the bearing member 27. As the gearing cases are moved rearwardly on said shaft the antifriction rollers 24 on the inner ends of the shafts 11 of the pinions 13 will slide longitudinally in the channels of the collar (3, to accommodate this movement and permit the pinions 13 in the last case 25 to enter into meshing engagement with the fixed gear 26. In this position the rotation of the shaft 1 will reverse the direction of rotation of the sleeve 7 and cause the propellers thereon to drive the boat rearwuirdly. It will be understood that as the gear cases are shifted rearwardly the pinions 13 in the first case 10 are carried from engagement with the fixed gear 1- therein over which said case slides before the pinions 13 in the last case 25 are caused to engage the fixed gear 26 on the rear bearing member 27.

In order to provide a neutral position in which the driving gears may be placed so that the rotation of the shaft 1. will i1npart no movement to the propellers, the circumferential channels 12 are formed in the fixed collars 6. By shifting the gear case and the shaft 1 so as to cause the antifriction rollers on the inner ends of the shafts of the pinions 13 to lie in said circum ferential channels in the collars 6, the rotation of the shaft 1 will impart no movement to said gearing because of the fact. that said collars will then turn with the shafts without carrying the shafts of the pinions 13 therewith. This neutral position is between the positions which afford a forward and a reverse drive, so that when making a change from one direction of rotation to the other the propellers are first brought to a iii) position of rest before they are caused to turn in the opposite direction. This neutral position enables the engine to run if desired without driving the boat in either direction.

To provide for lubricating the several parts the shaft 1 is made with a longitudinal oil channel 32 therethrough, fro-m which leads an oil duct 33 (see Fig. 2) to lubricate each of the sleeves 7 which revolve upon said shaft. Also leading from the longitudinal channel 32 are the oil ducts 34 through which lubricant is conveyed to the antifriction rollers 24 of the shafts 11 which lie in the channels of the collars 6, and to the bearings of the pinions 13 on said shafts.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Propulsive driving mechanism comprising a power shaft, a plurality of sleeves loose thereon, propelling elements carried by said sleeves, and means for driving all of said sleeves from one end of said shaft to turn them sequentially in opposite directions.

2. Driving mechanism comprising a power shaft, a plurality of sleeves rotatable upon said shaft, each sleeve carrying a propeller and the pitch of the blades of each succeeding propeller being reversed, a set of gearing mounted on said shaft for driving each propeller, means for moving the sets of gearing longitudinally of the' shaft and means for driving said sets of gearing fro-1n said shaft to cause said propellers to alternately turn in opposite directions.

3. Driving gearing for motor boats comprising a power shaft, a plurality of sleeves loosely mounted thereon, a propeller mounted upon each sleeve, a set of gearing for driving the sleeve of each propeller from said shaft, the gearing of each set being movable longitudinally of the shaft, a fixed gear at the forward end of the shaft into meshing engagement with which the gearing of the first set is movable, a fixed gear at the rear end of the shaft into engagement with which the gearing of the last set is movable, and means for shifting the sets of gearing in unison longitudinally of said shaft.

4. Driving gearing for motor boats comprising a power shaft, a plurality of sets of gearing mounted thereon, each set comprising a sleeve loose .on the shaft having a beveled gear at each end, a plurality of beveled pinions engaging said gears, a collar rotatable with the power shaft, shafts for said pinions engaging said collar, a fixed beveled gear adapted to engage the pinions of the initial set, a fixed beveled gear adapted to engage the pinions of the final set, the pinions of the intermediate sets being continually engaged with the gears of their respective sleeves, means for shifting all of the sets of gears and the sleeves longitudinally of the shaft, and a propeller mounted upon each of said sleeves.

5. Driving gearing for motor boats, comprising a plurality of propellers adapted to rotate in opposite directions, each propeller being driven by a set of gears comprising a sleeve upon which the propeller is mounted having a gear at the end thereof, a plurality of pinions engaging the gear of the sleeve, a power shaft, a collar fixed on the power shaft having longitudinal channels therein, shafts for said pinions engaging inthe channels of said collar, a circumferential channel in said collar intercepting said longitudinal channels, a gear meshing with said pinions for driving them, and means for shifting said pinions to move their shafts longitudinally of their channels in said collar.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. STOVER.

Vvitnesses GEORGE G. CARRIER, HARRY F. SOHROEDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

